The sheriffs’ offices in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes make rounds to offenders’ houses before Halloween to check up on them and make sure they remember the law.

Though many sex offenders made bad decisions, others are just bad people, said Dawn Buquet, Forensic Interviewer and Investigator at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Houma. All are required to register for a minimum of 15 years with the state’s sex offender registry, some for longer, depending of the severity of their crimes. The registry lists their name, address, crime and photo. Every time offenders move, they must notify their new neighbors. If the sex crime was committed against a child, they must stay away from schools and parks.

The laws exist to protect people and to keep sex offenders on the right side of the law, Buquet said.

“Children feel a sense of security that they are in jail, and when they do get out, just to see them walking on the street on a night like tonight, it’s scary,” she said. “Not every person who’s arrested with a sex crime is a monster. But some of them are. Some of these crimes are horrendous.”

These laws help make sure they never touch a child or abuse another person again, Buquet said.

“True predators, they don’t change,” she said. “They don’t heal. They are who they are.”

With strict regulation and enforcement of the sex registry, offenders won’t have another chance to commit a sex crime, Terrebonne Sheriff Jerry Larpenter said.

“You don’t want children trick-or-treating around sex offenders,” he said. “You don’t want them near schools or parks.”

Sampay just wants to move on with her life and constantly applies for jobs. But she gets turned down even for graveyard shifts at gas stations.

“If it would have been for prostitution, I could have gotten the job,” she said. “But because it was with a juvenile, they wouldn’t give me the job.”

Many sex offenders in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes say they deal with job discrimination, said Jon Barbera, a probation and parole official who supervises sex offenders in Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Charles parishes.

Many businesses just won’t hire people convicted of sex crimes.

“I know it will raise an eye to some company because they’re just not sure,” he said. “It’s almost as if that they’re going to go with the side of caution rather than give someone a chance. It’s a difficult situation.”

Caleb Dardar, 24, of Houma, who was charged with carnal knowledge of a juvenile and convicted of a sex crime in 2009, said the apprehension really depends on the kind of work.

“It’s hard to get a job,” he said. “Some places ask and some don’t.”

And when offenders manage to get a job, sometimes the judgment cuts too deep.

“People start talking — it makes for an unhappy work environment,” Barbera said. “A lot of my cases will just quit. They were getting harassed. They were embarrassed.”

Terrebonne Parish has about 347 registered sex offenders. Lafourche has about 242.

“A lot of people have the impression that sex offenders don’t live near them,” Barbera said. “I have been to every neighborhood.”

The sex offender population in the area continues to grow, said Cher Pitre, who heads the Terrebonne Sheriff’s Office sex crimes division. As awareness about sex offenses increases, more victims come forward, which has led to a rise in convictions.

“They always think it’s the guy in the dark overcoat,” she said. “It’s not. It’s the guy in the Santa Claus outfit. Or the family’s best friend.”

Sampay spends her days in the home she shares with her son, his girlfriend and their son.

“I feel like my kids get judged, and that bothers me,” she said. “‘Your mom’s a child molester.’”

The neighbors won’t let their kids come over to play with her grandson.

Many offenders will do whatever they can to hide their statuses, Pitre said.

“Some will literally scratch ‘Sex Offender’ off the bottom” of their driver’s licenses, she said.

Others, like Leroy Hendon, 42, of Houma, who served a year for a sex crime in 2002 and maintains his innocence, don’t have a problem sharing their past. He was charged with aggravated oral sexual battery, indecent behavior with juvenile.

“I tell people. I’m not ashamed,” he said while dressed in a gray suit before heading off to church.

Hendon said judgment comes immediately after being charged with a sex offense.

“They look at me and think I’m going to do something to a young kid,” he said. “I’m not that kind of person.”

To see where sex offenders live in Lafourche Parish, visit www.icrimewatch.net/index.php?AgencyID=53819. To check out sex offenders in Terrebonne, go to www.icrimewatch.net/index.php?

<p>Tammy Sampay left prison in 2011 after serving almost five years for a sex crime.</p><p>The Houma woman has struggled to find work since. She said her conviction and the sex-offender label cripple her options. She was charged with carnal knowledge of a juvenile and aggravated battery.</p><p>“I made a mistake,” the 49-year-old said. “I served my time.”</p><p>But this time of year Sampay and other local sex offenders are reminded of their past.</p><p>Around Halloween, offenders are barred by state law from opening their doors to trick-or-treaters.</p><p>“They are restricted from wearing masks,” Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Brennan Matherne said. “They can't give out candy. They shouldn't have their house lit up.”</p><p>The sheriffs' offices in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes make rounds to offenders' houses before Halloween to check up on them and make sure they remember the law.</p><p>Though many sex offenders made bad decisions, others are just bad people, said Dawn Buquet, Forensic Interviewer and Investigator at the Children's Advocacy Center in Houma. All are required to register for a minimum of 15 years with the state's sex offender registry, some for longer, depending of the severity of their crimes. The registry lists their name, address, crime and photo. Every time offenders move, they must notify their new neighbors. If the sex crime was committed against a child, they must stay away from schools and parks.</p><p>The laws exist to protect people and to keep sex offenders on the right side of the law, Buquet said.</p><p>“Children feel a sense of security that they are in jail, and when they do get out, just to see them walking on the street on a night like tonight, it's scary,” she said. “Not every person who's arrested with a sex crime is a monster. But some of them are. Some of these crimes are horrendous.”</p><p>These laws help make sure they never touch a child or abuse another person again, Buquet said. </p><p>“True predators, they don't change,” she said. “They don't heal. They are who they are.”</p><p>With strict regulation and enforcement of the sex registry, offenders won't have another chance to commit a sex crime, Terrebonne Sheriff Jerry Larpenter said.</p><p>“You don't want children trick-or-treating around sex offenders,” he said. “You don't want them near schools or parks.”</p><p>Sampay just wants to move on with her life and constantly applies for jobs. But she gets turned down even for graveyard shifts at gas stations.</p><p>“If it would have been for prostitution, I could have gotten the job,” she said. “But because it was with a juvenile, they wouldn't give me the job.”</p><p>Many sex offenders in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes say they deal with job discrimination, said Jon Barbera, a probation and parole official who supervises sex offenders in Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Charles parishes.</p><p>Many businesses just won't hire people convicted of sex crimes.</p><p>“I know it will raise an eye to some company because they're just not sure,” he said. “It's almost as if that they're going to go with the side of caution rather than give someone a chance. It's a difficult situation.”</p><p>Caleb Dardar, 24, of Houma, who was charged with carnal knowledge of a juvenile and convicted of a sex crime in 2009, said the apprehension really depends on the kind of work. </p><p>“It's hard to get a job,” he said. “Some places ask and some don't.”</p><p>And when offenders manage to get a job, sometimes the judgment cuts too deep.</p><p>“People start talking — it makes for an unhappy work environment,” Barbera said. “A lot of my cases will just quit. They were getting harassed. They were embarrassed.”</p><p>Terrebonne Parish has about 347 registered sex offenders. Lafourche has about 242.</p><p>“A lot of people have the impression that sex offenders don't live near them,” Barbera said. “I have been to every neighborhood.”</p><p>The sex offender population in the area continues to grow, said Cher Pitre, who heads the Terrebonne Sheriff's Office sex crimes division. As awareness about sex offenses increases, more victims come forward, which has led to a rise in convictions. </p><p>“They always think it's the guy in the dark overcoat,” she said. “It's not. It's the guy in the Santa Claus outfit. Or the family's best friend.” </p><p>Sampay spends her days in the home she shares with her son, his girlfriend and their son. </p><p>“I feel like my kids get judged, and that bothers me,” she said. “'Your mom's a child molester.'”</p><p>The neighbors won't let their kids come over to play with her grandson.</p><p>Many offenders will do whatever they can to hide their statuses, Pitre said. </p><p>“Some will literally scratch 'Sex Offender' off the bottom” of their driver's licenses, she said. </p><p>Others, like Leroy Hendon, 42, of Houma, who served a year for a sex crime in 2002 and maintains his innocence, don't have a problem sharing their past. He was charged with aggravated oral sexual battery, indecent behavior with juvenile. </p><p>“I tell people. I'm not ashamed,” he said while dressed in a gray suit before heading off to church. </p><p>Hendon said judgment comes immediately after being charged with a sex offense.</p><p>“They look at me and think I'm going to do something to a young kid,” he said. “I'm not that kind of person.”</p><p>To see where sex offenders live in Lafourche Parish, visit www.icrimewatch.net/index.php?AgencyID=53819. To check out sex offenders in Terrebonne, go to www.icrimewatch.net/index.php?</p><p>AgencyID=54419.</p><p>Staff Writer Mary </p><p>Kilpatrick can be reached </p><p>at 857-2202 or mary.</p><p>kilpatrick@houmatoday.com.</p>